Deadline: 5 August 2023
Do your projects prioritise environmental sustainability, social well-being and robust governance practices? Are you driving social change in your community in the following areas: Health, Entrepreneurship, Environment, and Leadership? If yes, then apply now for the Changemakers Innovation Challenge.
The Changemakers Innovation Challenge is conceived by ACT Foundation as a response to the impressive work of community nonprofits, businesses and social enterprises in Africa who are leveraging technology/ digital tools to create social change in their communities. Research shows that most nonprofits using technology/ digital tools to drive projects and develop communities are coming ahead in the world and also creating lasting impact.
Grant funding will be awarded to the 3 winners of the Changemakers Innovation Challenge. The Award grant will be given towards scaling of the innovative solutions across different communities.
Key Focus Areas
ACT Foundation aids organisations across the African continent with funding and capacity building support to ensure sustainable action in areas that align with their key focus areas of Health, Entrepreneurship, Environment and Leadership.
- Health: ACT Foundation seeks to facilitate better health care services for vulnerable and marginalized groups in society by supporting initiatives that focus on but are not limited to Malaria, Cancer (Breast, Cervical and Prostate) and Maternal & Child Health.
- Entrepreneurship: ACT Foundation seeks to promote entrepreneurial endeavours that improve the lives of individuals and families through income generation and economic empowerment. Therefore, they support interventions focused on vocational education, skills acquisition, financial literacy and financial inclusion to tackle the rate of unemployment, increase employability and foster start-up organizations in a bid to accelerate individual and societal productivity
- Environment: ACT Foundation is committed to environmental protection and support for human activities such as waste management, upcycling, tree planting and recycling – to guarantee environmental sustainability for future generations. ACT Foundation also supports interventions in the area of water and sanitation
- Leadership: ACT Foundation desires to build a new generation of credible, accountable and ethical leaders who will propel the continent towards effective and sustainable, economic and human development as well as peace and security. Therefore, they support interventions that focus on developing the leadership skills of individuals – particularly young people and women – towards good governance, economic development, organizational and professional development.
Eligibility Criteria
- The Changemakers Innovation Challenge is open to non-profits and social enterprises in Africa. Businesses carrying out innovations that lead to social impact may also apply. The support including funding and trainings is to enable them to scale up impact within the community where they presently work and beyond.
- Organisations that have been awarded funding as winners of the Changemakers Innovation Challenge in the past are not eligible.
- Non-profits or social enterprises must be registered with the government agency in charge of organizations’ registry in their respective countries.
- All submissions must be innovative solutions that use technology or digital systems as major tools in driving community impact. Evidence of claims must be provided through web links, videos, pictures and any other online presence.
- Organizations must have been in existence for at least two years.
- All social innovations must be at the growth stage and must have been tested or implemented on direct beneficiaries. Evidence of claim must be provided through pictures, news releases, etc.
- All social innovations must have been implemented within the past two years. Pilot innovations will not be accepted.
Guidelines
- Only one entry will be accepted per organization. Once an entry has been submitted, no further changes will be accepted.
- All entries for this challenge must be submitted in English.
- No entry fee, purchase or payment of any kind is required to apply.
- Grant funding will be awarded to the top three (3) winners of the Changemakers Innovation Challenge towards the scaling of their innovative solutions across different communities. Technical support will also be awarded as applicable.
- Winners will be announced and awarded at the annual ACT Foundation Breakfast Dialogue which is scheduled to hold in October 2023.
For more information, visit ACT Foundation.